Due to the increase in consumer interest and demand and the advent of extreme sports competitions, the technology for recreational vehicles such as mountain bikes and motorcycles has advanced considerably in recent decades. One area of ongoing interest and development is the suspension systems of such vehicles, especially as relating to their performance, handling and safety. As known to one of skill in the art, for example, when there is an increase in power to the driving wheel or wheels of a bicycle, a motorcycle and other wheeled vehicle (e.g. normally the rear wheel in a bicycle or motorcycle), so as to accelerate the vehicle, some of the force being transmitted to the driving wheel can be cross-coupled into the suspension system. This cross-coupled force often appears as an applied torque or rotational moment on the suspension system which causes the powered end of the vehicle to either pull down (e.g. squat) or push up (e.g. kick). This can be problematic for several reasons.
For instance, any portion of the driving force or power which is cross-coupled into the suspension system reduces the amount of power that is transmitted to the driving wheel, with a corresponding reduction in the overall efficiency of the driving mechanism. For a human being providing the power to the rear wheel through foot pedals and a chain drive, this inefficiency can result in reduced performance and the unnecessarily-early onset of fatigue. In the case of a bicycle, moreover, moving the rear of the bicycle up or down can alter the position and orientation of the rider relative to the frame of bicycle, which in turn can affect the vehicle dynamics and the rider's control of the bike. Finally, causing the vehicle to squat or kick moves the suspension system out of its optimal neutral response position and thereby limits the available range of travel and shock absorbing capabilities of the suspension system for the duration of the powered state.